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Rain Power

 Use the force falling rain to somehow generate elecricity.
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I don't know how or if it could work, but there may be someway to use rain to make energy. It would have to be in a place where it rains alot, like London or Seattle. Maybe use a "vertical" dam, one that collects water on top, and funnels it through a turbine. Could also be used with snow that would have to be melted first.
—Cam1234, Dec 28 2006

the piezo version piezo_20rain_20plate
[jhomrighaus, Dec 29 2006]

Water drops generate electricity http://amasci.com/emotor/kelvin.html
Lord Kelvin did this in the 1800s [csea, Dec 30 2006]

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       Um not sure about the "idea" here but a case could be made that this is exactly what is done by a hydroelectric power project.   

       Now a Piezo-electric type thing might be different.
—jhomrighaus, Dec 28 2006
   

       so essentially convert the water's potential energy as it falls from the top of buildings to the ground... via mini turbines in drainpipes for example?
—jonthegeologist, Dec 29 2006
   

       How to get the rain to make energy? Gee whizz, I wonder how that could be done? Let the rain fill reservoirs that drive hydroelectric turbines, duh.   

       Oh, you're new here - I apologize for my sarcasm. But it's best if you present ideas, rather than as requests for ideas, especially ones so Widely Baked as this.
—DrCurry, Dec 29 2006
   

       Baked for so long it may predate bread itself.
—Galbinus_Caeli, Dec 29 2006
   

       [DrCurry] do we need to remind you of your manners everytime someone new joins?
—nomadic_wonderer, Dec 29 2006
   

       FYI, I'm very nice to new people. It's the regulars I beat up on.
—DrCurry, Dec 29 2006
   

       What would really be cool is if you could somehow capture the energy of the rain as it falls, and then use solar energy to lift it back into the sky.
—nomocrow, Dec 29 2006
   

       What [DrCurry] said and what [Drcurry] said.
—zeno, Dec 30 2006
   

       There is a way to accumulate charge (and hence, energy) from water drops, see [link]. But it's incredibly inefficient.
—csea, Dec 30 2006
   

       I posted this anno not two days ago on the "peoplepower" idea! Maybe I should post up this template as its own idea, and then folks could link it up.   

       /For ideas such as this, it would be nice to have a template setting out a standard rationale, attached generators etc. This could be preprinted by the HB gremlin. The idea author only need insert the currently underutilized source of kinetic energy to complete the idea (eg: rain, meteorites, falling dung, masturbation, speedbump compression, windblown trees, tectonic plate motion, plane tires on landing etc).   

       Such a template would allow these ideas to be compared on their merits alone, without intrusive prejudices involving grammar or author./
—bungston, Dec 31 2006
   

       We have this already. It is hydro-electric power. The potential energy is tapped as a river of the rain moves to the ocean.
—just4kinks, Jan 02 2007
   

       OK, well how about this? A building with a large roof area which channels the water into a single pipe with a water turbine to generate electricity and stores the water for use inside the building at the same time. Also, generate tiny amounts of electricity from the acidity of the rain, but maybe enough for a pocket calculator, who knows?
—nineteenthly, Jan 07 2007
   

       hmmm it's an easy calculation. An average of let's be indulgent and say 10,000 cubic centimeters of rain per sqare meter, fall from the roof of a 100 meter tall building with a surface of 10,000 square meters every year. Assuming 100% of the potential is converted into electrical power, that would mean m*g*h = (1,000*10,000)*9,81*100 ~= 10^(3+4+1+2) = 10^10watts = 10,000/3600 * 10^6 Watt*Hour ~= 3 MWh. That would save about 200dollars every year! Free popsicles!
—sweet, Dec 09 2007
   


 

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